Power of Creation
by Dairene
Summary: Ange's relatively-peaceful life, as well as the peace between Arzenal and People of Aura, is disrupted by an unexpected army from a world Ange would rather forget about. Will she have to fight another invasion? What do they want?
1. Unexpected Reunion

Star of Aura Settlement, Earth, five years after the death of Embryo…

Ange locked up the door of Cafe Ange and headed out to the car where Momoka, Vivian, and Hilda were waiting.

"All right! Girl's night out begins!" Vivian exclaimed happily as Hilda drove off.

"Poor Tusk!" Hilda snickered, as she sped.

"Careful driving!" Ange exclaimed, before adding. "I'm sure Tusk's fine- he's out with some new friends." Ange laughed a bit. "He does get a little jealous of you, sometimes…"

"Me? No way!" Hilda feigned innocence, before bursting into laughter.

"Um… girls, eyes on the road, please," Momoka brought up quietly. "We don't want to miss our stop again."

"Yeah, and I blame Vivian for that!" Hilda accused jokingly. "She totally distracted me that time!" She pulled the car to a spot by the side of the road, close by to a karaoke stop they frequented, and the girls piled out.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Outpost Epsilon, five kilometers east of the Star of Aura's city center, eastern fringe of the Star of Aura Settlement…

Captain Ruth Saar, the Aura Defense Militia member in command of Outpost Epsilon, climbed idly to the top of the Outpost's watchtower.

"What's up, Dilma? Erica?"

"Dilma here, hasn't eaten yet," Erica complained. "I keep telling her she's worried for nothing…"

"Dilma, why don't we switch out? Consider it an order."

The younger Aura sighed and nodded in resignation. "Okay, okay. Just- I just have a bad feeling about today. The horoscopes predicted 'great upheaval'- "

"Superstitious nonsense…" Erica muttered.

"- and there's the recent destruction of outlying sensors, and those beserk animals… It all has me really on edge."

"Don't worry- I'll take care of it," Ruth reassured, laying a hand on Dilma's shoulder. "Go get some rest, I'll take the night watch."

After Dilma had disappeared down the stairs, Erica whispered, "So… Ruth, do you think there'll be trouble?"

"I thought you didn't believe her?" Ruth asked, amused.

"I don't believe the superstitious horoscope crap," Erica retorted. "But the destruction of the sensor perimeter is really troubling. It can't have been an accident or some animals. Riza confirmed so herself…"

"But Lanyang doesn't have the numbers to seriously threaten us, and even if they did attack, we could easily rout them. They may be troublemakers, but they aren't insane."

Lanyang Settlement was a small settlement of Aura outcasts not far from the Star of Aura. Although they'd never had open conflict with the main Aura settlement in the region, relations were often fractious to say the least.

"I know that!" Erica exclaimed. "But something feels… off. Also, that convoy from east Kansai… hasn't arrived, has it? Either they're running really late, and coincidentally had radio trouble…"

"Or something's happened to them," Ruth finished her thought. "But what could bring down a fully-manned Aura convoy and why?"

"Goliaths? A large number of them could, but there's no reason for them to be this close to major settlements," Erica mused. "We destroyed just about all of their factories in the Japanese islands."

"Goliaths" were the generic term the People of Aura used to refer to automated war robots used by both the Unified Economic Federation and Pan-Continental Alliance during Ragnarok- or World War VII as it was called- over five centuries ago. Some of these deadly machines still roamed the Earth, attacking anyone it came across, churned out by automated factories centuries after their designers had been lost to history. However, they had become less of threat in recent years, as the People of Aura had aggressively destroyed as many production sites as they could find.

Ruth opened her mouth to respond, but something caught her attention, even in the dark sky. "What- what's that?!"

A circle of black clouds had appeared and began swirling some distance away, in an otherwise clear night sky.

"Uh… no way…" Erica gaped. "Is that a…"

"A singularity! Raise the alarm!" Ruth exclaimed, pressing the alarm button.

"But… it can't be, there's been none for five years!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Back in a karaoke store in the Star of Aura Settlement...

Ange and Hilda paused in the middle of their sing-off.

"Is… that an alarm?" Momoka wondered, hearing the distant clanging.

The karaoke booth's Aura attendant burst in. "That's the city-wide alert for a Singularity! All of you should head home immediately!"

Everyone's eyes went wide with shock.

"No, that's impossible…" Ange whispered tremulously. "Not again!"

"Commander, your Ragna-mail is at the city garrison, along with some of the spare Para-mail," Hilda reminded. "We need to inform Commander Salamandinay!"

"Of course," Ange nodded, her startled expression quickly dissipating in favor of a more grim expression. "Let's go!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Within a matter of minutes, Ange and Hilda were in their mechs, and assembled at the city's edge, along with a number of the settlement's own Ryuu-Shin-Ki, as well as flying Aura infantry, and a number of more archaically-designed weapons such as tanks and artillery, based on what the Ancient Humans had.

Despite, Ange's insistence that they stay in the city, Momoka and Vivian had driven to Outpost Epsilon, both nervously toting assault rifles they barely knew how to use.

In her Villkiss, Ange called Salamandinay's Enryugo. "Commander Sala, Arzenal has scrambled fighters, but they won't be here for some time. Emily and Salia are also worried and want to keep some forces to protect the island."

"Understandable," Commander Salamandinay acknowledged. "We thank you for your help. Do you have any idea what could be causing this? From your world? Embryo should be the only one from the Mana world who could do this…"

"It's- not my world anymore," Ange gritted her teeth. "And Embryo is dead!"

"Aura and Midgardia have that kind of power," Kaname reminded, radioing from her Hekiryugo. "Is it possible someone like that emerged from the former Mana users- or they developed… some sort of technology…?"

"They better not be exploiting the People of Aura somehow…" Salamandinay gritted her teeth angrily.

Then she fell silent from the shock of what she saw next. "Oh god…"

"How- how can that be- ?"

"I thought they were all destroyed! Except the Villkiss…"

"Only Embryo can make those… right?"

A giant Ragna-mail emerged from the Singularity, looking rather similar to Ange's Villkiss, except painted with the golden star and eagle of the Empire of Misurugi. Around them poured para-mail units, some familiar, some not, as well as more conventional forces such as helicopters, tanks, mobile artillery, armored cars. Many of them bore insignias, and while some were unfamiliar, Ange recognized some of them from a life she didn't really want to remember anymore. So did Hilda.

"Enderant Union?! Misurugi, Rosenblum, Galia, Marmeria, even Velda…"

"That's the Beresus Island Federation too…" Ange muttered. "A Misurugi dependency…"

"How the hell did they all get their hands on para-mails?" Hilda exclaimed. "They should have all been on Arzenal!"

"This… can't be… the World of Mana was in shambles, right?" Naga exclaimed. "How did they assemble this many forces so fast for an invasion?! Unless… no way, is Embryo…?"

Ange gritted her teeth and felt herself beginning to see red. "No way! That asshole couldn't possibly- but how- ?"

"Ange, stay calm!" Hilda cried, hearing the strain in her friend's voice. But it was too late.

"I won't take your shit again, Embryo!" Ange bellowed over an open channel. Her Villkiss charged forward, slashing down and firing at the opposing Ragna-mail. The opposing machine caught her blow, and began clashing viciously.

"Hold your fire!" Salamandinay shouted, but to little avail.

Some of the less disciplined DRAGONs charged in to attack, or opened fire from ground positions. Some of the troops from the former World of Mana arrayed before them also to open fire, energy weapons, lasers, artillery and tank shells bursting forth in a terrifying display.

"Embryo? That shitty asshole is long dead," A female voice replied, likewise on an open channel, to Ange's cry. Then, at that moment, on the open broadcast to all the forces on both sides, the voice began singing a song.

Ange paused momentarily, shocked by its familiarity, and the opposing Ragna-mail took the opportunity to violently shove her Villkiss back.

"The Song of Convergence?!" Salamandinay exclaimed. "These enemies are far more sophisticated than-"

"That voice…" Ange muttered. "I've heard it before…"

"What? You know her?" Hilda asked breathlessly, as she busily beat back a pair of Galian para-mail.

"Withdraw! Cease fire!" Salamandinay continued to shout, and gradually, the Aura forces began to pull back, as did the opposing side, ending the brief conflict, though tragically not without casualties. Medics on both sides rushed to aid the wounded and pull casualties from the battlefield.

"Who… who the hell are you?!" Ange demanded in an open channel broadcast. "You, in the Misurugi Ragna-mail!"

"How dare you speak to her in that tone!" An angry and gruff male voice shouted on an open channel. "You are addressing-"

"That's enough, General. My, my, Angelise. You really have forgotten me. You don't even recognize my voice."

Ange could have sworn the opposing pilot must have been wearing a smirk based on her tone. "My name is Ange!"

"Very well… Ange. But I haven't forgotten you- you'll always be Angelise to me," The opposing Ragna-mail opened its cockpit to reveal its pilot, who was wearing full-body armor.

Then she removed her helmet to reveal a girl with short-cropped blonde hair with hardened features, and a nasty scar running vertically down her left cheek to her jaw.

"Who… is she?" Hilda muttered.

"She… looks intimidating," Salamadinay added.

Ange frowned, trying to pin the face to her name with little success. Then she zeroed in on the girl's eyes, and it finally clicked.

"Oh god… it can't be…" Ange muttered, forgetting her comm was still set to an open channel. "You're- you're- "

"I see you finally remember," The girl smirked somewhat callously. "Though I guess I did looked rather different the last time you saw me. It has been a while… sister."

"Sylvia?!"


	2. Trading Barbs

Ange only had a chance to gape for just a moment before another male voice cut in again. "How dare you speak to Her Highness in such a flippant manner! This is Empress Sylvia I of the Misurugi Empire, and Chairwoman of the Alliance of Cooperation!"

"Thank you," Sylvia replied tersely. "I'll have you know you are addressing a member of Misurugi royalty- my sister and former Crown Princess, Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi."

"But, your Highness, she's a- !"

"-a Norma. Right," Sylvia scoffed scathingly. "We're all Norma now, Colonel Schneider."

During this time, Ange had opened her cockpit to face her sister in person. "You- You've changed-" That was all Ange was able to say.

"Nice of you to notice," Sylvia replied sarcastically. "You haven't changed one bit since I last saw you, sis. Your voice is still the one that drives me on in the day and haunts my dreams at night."

"L-Look," Ange began defensively. "If this is about some petty grudge, leave Arzenal and the Aura out of it."

"Do you think I'm that petty I would invade your world over a small grudge?!" Sylvia derided coldly. Then she sighed and looked down. "Well, I suppose you have a point- the old me might have been just that foolish and narrow-minded." She looked up again. "You're interesting, sis- but not that important. No, the reason I united the nations, armies, and tribes of our world- is to save our world."

"It's not my world, anymore!" Ange shot back bitterly. "This is my world now, and I stand ready to protect it!"

"Fine, but it used to be your world," Sylvia shrugged, unfazed. "And if you and your friends want to live, I suggest we learn to work together. I don't want to fight you, sis, but I will if you leave me no other choice."

"If you're here for Lady Aura, I won't let you!" Commander Salamandinay cut into the silence that followed. "I don't want a fight either, but we are not your slaves- your livestock- any longer! You can take your mana and cram it up your-"

"Easy now, dragon girl," Sylvia chuckled in amusement. "Trust a dragon to have some fire in her… no, we're not here for the Dragons. So long as you don't attack us, no Dragons will be harmed."

"Then what do you want?" Salamandinay questioned suspiciously, the fury in her voice not yet abated.

Sylvia narrowed her eyes. "The Power of Creation… and if you want your world to survive too, you'll help me get it too… before they do."


End file.
